Two Faces
by Pip31319
Summary: Tally's Point Of View, of the final chapter of "Extras". Read, review and enjoy!


**Disclaimer: Not Scott Westerfeld. Never will be! :P  
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**A/N: This is a oneshot about the last chapter of Extras, titled "Thousand Faces". Read and review! :)**

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**Tally's POV**

"Remind me again why I'm doing this," I said to Aya Fuse – or anyone really. I struggled to remember why I had even come to this brain-missing city in the first place then I remembered Aya's "City Killer" feed. It caught Shay-la's attention, and we watched all the shots that Aya had taken.

"The girl has guts," Shay-la had said at the end of the story.

"Let's pay her a visit." I had suggested, sending a ping to the one and only Aya Fuse. _Run and hide. We're on our way._

Aya Fuse - a fifteen year old Japanese girl, that constantly surprised me – and that's saying something. I'm a Special –the only true Special left in the world. Aya could be a truth-slanting, brain-missing ugly but she almost reminds me of well… me. Before I was changed into a bubblehead anyway.

"To show your support," Aya was the one that answered me, while fiddling with the sparkles. Looking at Aya's face was the most brain-changing thing for me. I had to fight the Special wiring that was in my head – telling me that she was beneath me – but at the same time I admired her. Especially her nose. It made her unique, which was a good thing to come out of the mind-rain that I had brought to the world.

"You're the most famous person in the world Tally-wa. If you tell everyone you're behind the Extras, they'll get a lot more recruits." Aya finished answering.

"And less hassle for all that metal they grabbed," Fausto added. "And for kidnapping everyone who saw them," he added as an afterthought.

"Plus, Tally-wa, we haven't been to a party in _ages_!!" Shay finished up with a grin on her face.

I just made a growl that came out more like a grunt. I hadn't worn a gown in _ages_. Gown's reminded me of the mansions at New Pretty Town – not a happy-making feeling.

"Don't look so glum," Shay scolded me. "You used to wear stuff like that all the time."

"Yeah, back when I was a bubblehead," I replied back quickly. Aya's expression turned to one where it looked like she had to solve an incredibly difficult problem. _Probably trying to imagine Tally Youngblood as a Pretty._

"You know, there's still time to fix those if you want," Aya said, gesturing to the thin scars that ran down my arms. I had to fight the surge of anger that came with her statement. She didn't know what the scars represent. It wasn't like I'd tell her. Aya already seemed to know this – in the jungle called Singapore, there was a moment where she looked terrified of me. The pang of regret that came through me at that moment was surprising. I'm glad that the rewiring efforts have paid off.

"No chance," I replied. "They remind me of things that I don't want to forget."

"You look beautiful," David said. I turned to him with a smile on my face. David. The person that had been with me from the beginning, and didn't judge me. The one who accepted who I was, no questions. The person who was now wearing a borrowed jacket, because anything that came from a hole in a wall made him nervous. I tried not to laugh at his expression, although I agreed – this city was very crowded.

"I still don't see why we have to go to this stupid party. Couldn't I do some kind of feed announcement?" The announcement would have been much, much easier – for me anyway.

Aya frowned at my comment though. "That won't be any fun. And it won't help the Extras nearly as much."

David agreed with her. "Plus, we sort of owe them for a couple of dozen spaceships" he added grinning at me.

_You've been beaten tonight, admit it. _"I guess."

Shay just laughed. "They're just lucky we didn't use nanos."

Of course, I'd agreed to the totally brain-missing party, but any excitement drained when we walked outside, and hovercams were everywhere.

"Okay, I officially hate this city." Suprisingly no-one disagreed with me. But we had to get through somehow. Unfortunatly.

"So how do we get through those things?"

"Glitter bombs?" Fausto had the classic suggestions.

"Nanos!" Shay's idea was much better.

"None of the above!" Aya cried out. Damn. "You don't always have to blow stuff up Tally-wa. In this city you've got a reputation bubble."

"A what?" Totally brain-missing here.

"Just start walking, and they'll give you room."

_Okay…_ A few steps forward, then David grabbed me and took me further into the night. His touch sent a tingling feeling down my arm, causing a longing I haven't felt since Zane. This feeling was totally brain-missing, but heart-pumping and mind-racing as well.

"This is very strange. Are all cities like this?" Andrew Simpson Smith noted. Aya opened her mouth to speak but I interjected.

"Not really, after the mind-rain this one went particularly brain-missing."

"The reputation economy isn't brain-missing!" Hiro mentioned. "Wanting to be famous motivates people, which makes the world more interesting!"

I had to laugh here. "I've seen that motivation at work, Hiro. It leads to some truth-slanting too." Aya just sighed at my comment.

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When we arrived at the Thousand Faces party, it was very clear why I should not have came.

There were people everywhere. Not to mention cameras. It didn't take very long before the cameras bugged me. When a bunch came too close, I swatted them down – which made the rest back off. After a small while, I left for somewhere less crowded, and the other Cutters followed.

I stared across the room, watching Aya talk to Udzir first, then another girl – but who really knew in this town? I sighed watching Aya and Frizz leave the room, longing for an escape then David came.

"Ready to go?" he grinned at me.

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"Scared, Tally?" David smirked at me, as I looked at the drop from the window.

"Are you?" I smirked back, then pushed him lightly. He didn't fall but he laughed at me, then jumped lightly off the edge. An odd pang resonated through me as I watched him. Time to go. I took one last look at the wretched party, then jumped after him into the darkness. Grabbing on windowsills to slow my fall, I landed very quietly. No one would notice our absences. I then walked up to David and stared at his face. He wasn't ugly to me, not even through these special eyes. He would always see me for who I was. With this last thought, I slipped my arm through his and grinned. He smiled back, and we started to walk into the garden.

"Are you alright Tally?" he asked after a little bit. I'm quite sure that my thoughts were showing – thoughts of who _he_ was, and then I realised – I wanted him. Ever since Zane… we were finally coming back together – and I knew that I still loved him, after countless surgeries to muddle my looks, and my mind. This was clear.

"I'm great," I smiled, then grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. Our lips met, and it was like that kiss so long ago at the Smoke – it was perfect. He hesitated for a brief second, then responded hungrily. I pulled him closer and we backed slowly into the garden, me pressed to him. The way that we were meant to be.


End file.
